Holding out for a Hero

Today I upgrade my phone.  I talk about this a lot, because I enjoy the process.  The research, endless agonising on gsm arena, working out which one is bestest, flicking between networks’ websites to compare deals, deciding, changing my mind, going back to the first decision… all of it.  So, yes, today I will walk into Carphone Warehouse and demand an HTC Hero.  It fills the gap between a phone and a netbook!  Oh, wait, no, that’s the iPad’s job, apparently.  Good luck with that, Apple, you big mentals.  Still, if you’re a massive giant of a person, the iPad might yet work for you as a regular iPod Touch.  Provided you don’t mind only being able to run one application at a time (SURELY THIS IS NOT TRUE?).

I intended to go to bed at a reasonable hour last night, but then I realised I had to transfer all the pictures of my daughter from my old phone to its memory card and to the computer, so they’re not lost when I reset it to trade it in.  Had a weird moment last night – not the first – when Ella woke up crying and all she really wanted wasn’t food but for someone (it happened to be me) to hold her and reassure her.  It may well be the best part of the job, that, the moments when you realise that your responsibility to your child isn’t just material, isn’t just about keeping her safe and fed and clothed, there’s an emotional need that she has which can be filled *only* by her parents.  Or, to be fair to adoptive parents and whatnot, by their parental figures.

And that, so far, is my favourite part of parenthood.

Almost didn't post

Don’t have anything to say.  Short sentences only.  Punchy.  Been reading “The Road”.

It’s payday – got paid.  Went out for lunch.  Restaurant hadn’t taken our booking.  No table big enough for all of us.  Walked back to work in rain, ate M&S sandwiches.  Got wet feet.  Walking around in my socks.

Baby keeps waking in the night.  Crying.  Waking just before the alarm, losing the end of sleep.  Teething.  Has top incisor.  Will get the other soon.  Took her to John Lewis this week.  On the tube.  She seemed happy with that.

It's the only way to be sure.

Maybe my phone had a virus.  Maybe it was all the chewing on it my daughter does.  Maybe it just got fed up with me telling it it was on borrowed time and how I’m going to upgrade *SOON*, damn its buttons.  Whatever, I was faced with a non-functioning mobile phone and a big button marked “Hard reset”.  What choice did I have?  I dusted off and nuked the site from orbit.

It worked!  Ok, so a lot of my settings have been lost, and some of my programs no longer work properly but I can make calls and look at the internet so everything’s just fine for me.  And I’m upgrading it *soon*, anyway.  HTC Hero, in case you’re interested.  Fuck you, apple.

New game – Bayonetta.  Sleazy, violent, addictive fun.

Obligatory baby bit:

New teeth, apparently.  Arrived today.  Not seen them yet.  Scared for my fingers.  Already live in terror of existing teeth.

Brrrrr!

Bit cold, innit?       

Hello, again.  Happy new year, indeed happy new decade!  And don’t give me that crap about how it’s not a new decade, there’s a 1 where there was a 0, you can’t tell me that’s not a different decade.

So, what did you get for Christmas?  Peace, goodwill?  An X Box?  I’ve had Christmas and a birthday since my last post, you know, that makes me a whopping thirty three.  Still early thirties, but not comfortably.

Things my baby can do:

Rub noses

Chuckle

Have a conversation consisting of “a-tah” at different intonations

“A-tah?”

“A-tah!”

“A-tah.”

Roll over onto her back

Roll over onto her front

Eat teeny tiny burgers

Drink water from a sippy cup.

Amongst other things.  Maybe more.  Maybe some of that list is just wishful boasting.  But by gosh, she does seem to be coming on fast.  Within the next couple of weeks I expect her to be able to pick up small objects between finger and thumb.

A-tah.